SOS: Secrets Revealed
by Sexy Brunette Zombie Killer
Summary: Four years after McCormicks facility is liberated, Natasha teams up with old friends to search for her missing comrade, all while uncovering dark secrets that could change everyone's lives forever. OCxOC FrancisxRochelle LouisxOC EllisxZoey
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Everyone. AnarchyGunRage/Bae here. **  
><strong>As some of you may know, Zoey is posting for me the sequel of my story, Secrets of Sanctuary. So many OCs are mine, she just helped with thier development and for that, I'm thankful.<strong>

**Hey everyone just getting here. What you are about to read is the sequel to Secrets of Sanctuary by AnarchyGunRage. I was the beta for the original and have taken over as the main author of the sequel here. I hope you enjoy it and that all your questions are answered. Reviews are much appreciated.**

_Historical Archive: February, 7, 2004: CEDA issues it's first Green Flu warning._

The sun began to set over the crumbling city. It had long since stopped burning, all fire extinguished by time. The hustle and bustle of a once great city now reduced to the mindless amblings of the occasional infected, cars halted in the streets rusted from the rain. It was depressing, the way the once great city was reduced to blackened metal. Green eyes turned their gaze upwards at the cracked broken television screens. The luster of Times Square gone with the shimmering light of those screens.

The sound of rubber slapping concrete seemed to be the only noise present. The dark haired girl in a racing jacket with her blonde headed male companion seemed to be the only living beings in a one hundred mile radius.

"Tasha, we should find a place to squat before it gets too dark," the boy said. His name was Malikai and he was just as lost as she was. Three years ago she had been separated from her mother and father. Separated from everyone, except Malikai. They tried to return to the Clinic, but found it all but abandoned. So instead of staying like sitting ducks they made their way North. They were searching for a sign, any sign of life. So far they were striking out. Natasha took a quick look around before heading towards a blocked door, using the butt of her gun to beat down the rotting wood used to board it up.

Dust swirled in the stagnant air, visible from the fading sunlight. Natasha lifted the rifle in her hands, ready for any attacks. The floorboards groaned from the weight as her and Malikai made their way inside. They carefully swept the first floor of the building, finding nothing more than a few cockroaches before settling into the most fortifiable room.

Natasha sat criss-cross opposite her male counterpart. The floor was cold, but wasn't anything they hadn't gotten used to. Malikai absently stirred a can of beans in his hand, plastic forks on the floor in front of him. She reached forward, snatching up a spoon and stealing a bite of the cold beans. Natasha flipped open the manila folder in front of her, revealing stolen documents. They'd been spending the majority of their time breaking into offices, stealing whatever information they could. This file, this small collection of documents, plain paper, felt like the key to what they'd been searching for.

Salvation.

Without a second thought, Natasha began to read:

"_Lieutenant Michael Crawford reported that two weeks ago, the Olympic Peninsular had been cleared of infection. Any survivors have been to a safe zone. Everyone recovered appeared to be affected by the same genetic defect recorded at Millhaven base. _

_As the last surviving members of government and the military it is our duty as American to recover any and all survivors, creating a safe environment for the good of the country. We must serve and the protect our citizens to the last man." _Natasha stopped there. "It's too burnt to read the rest."

"Damn," Malikai said. "You think they'll find us?"

"Either that or we find them," she replied. "Anyway, I'm gonna go see if this place has some working water."

"Good luck," he replied, watching her disappear up the stairs.

Natasha bounded towards the bathroom she had passed by earlier. As she stepped inside the small tiled room, the sound of a loud crash carried up the stairs from the lower level. She spun around, absent of her gun. _Shit. _She peered around the door. No one had come up the stairs. Carefully, she crouched low to the ground, looking through the bars of the railing. Down below she saw Malikai stumble down to his knees on the floor. Then from behind him she saw a woman in black, her face obscured by an odd mask, one almost resembling a gas mask. She watched in horror as his arms were forced behind his back. She opened her mouth to yell, but was immediately silenced by the sight before her. He came waltzing into view. Hands folded behind his back, sans a lab coat but sporting a pristine black coat he exuded arrogance. He was so smug it almost clouded the room. Greasy black hair, full of enough oil to give three cars an oil change. Ian McCormick was perfectly intact and his presence could not bode well for her or Malikai. The young boy raised his head slightly in her direction. His eyes met hers and she knew what she had to do. What he wanted her to do.

"RUN NATASHA, RUN FOR IT!" he yelled, breaking the silence. Without question she bolted up and ran for the nearest window with a room. Behind her she heard him still yell. "THEY'RE AFTER YOU! DON'T STOP KEEP GOING!" She threw the first window open and pulled herself out it, dropping down into the pile of garbage below. The edges of her vision turned white with adrenaline as she pushed herself farther and farther down the road. Making mad dashes around corners, in every attempt to gain more distance between her and the madman that tortured her as a child. And as she ran she almost forgot to pay attention to where she was going. In her haste, she ran into something. Something human. Her first thought was an infected, which meant she was screwed. But a quick glance upward from her place on the ground revealed it to be a familiar face. Scraggly black hair, a familiar blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and white pants stained so badly it was arguable if they were even white anymore.

"Natasha?" the man said, his voice full of shock and relief.

"Papa?" she breathed.

**Fun fact, February 7****th**** is my birthday. I also went on the knowledge from the Sacrifice comic that two weeks after the flu was spread, Zoey was living in her father. I'm guessing from the dialogue that she spent her first semester of College with him and was then entering her second semester while thinking of dropping out. So I picked a random date that could be in that time period.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Nobody reviewed the last chapter. But that's okay, I'll keep going anyway. I'm just really hoping people are enjoying it and that fans of the original are seeing it.**

_Historical Archive: October, 12, 1972 Ian McCormick begins his internship at the Civil Emergency and Defense Agency._

Natasha hauled herself up, wrapping her arms around her father in a crushing embrace. He returned the embrace, almost desperate. It was as if he thought she'd disappear. He'd grown attached to the only thing that was his, his own flesh and blood, in the amount of time he'd been given to know her. And he'd thought he'd lost her. All to soon, she forced herself away.

"We have to run!" she said, her tone urgent.

"Why?" he asked.

"I think I'm being followed, let's go. Now!" she said. Without a second thought, he led her off down an alley. Determined to bring her back to her mother, he led her down street after street, alley after alley. The number of twists and turns almost made the girl dizzy. Until, finally, they approached a rusted metal door on the side of a storage building.

"We're not staying here, don't worry," Nick said. "Your mother is going to be… ecstatic to see you."

"That'll be the understatement of the year," she replied. Nick raised an eyebrow.

"Your English has gotten better," he said, surprised but also a little proud.

"Malikai," she said. "He took it upon himself to teach me."

"Good kid," Nick replied, opening the door. "Where is he?"

"I'll explain when we get inside," she said. No sooner had she stepped inside, that the room fell silent. Natasha stepped forward, searching for her mother. Almost as if on cue, she was wrapped in the warm familiar embrace of Valarie. She hadn't even seen her coming, but now it didn't matter. She was with her mother again.

"Natasha, moya doch' I'm so glad you're alright," Valaries voice wavered. She pulled back to look her daughter straight in the eye. "Don't you ever let that happen again! I was so worried!"

"I won't Mama," the young girl replied. "I mean it, I missed you so much."

"Well, you're here and that's what matters," Val said. She smiled, content to have her child safe and in her sight.

"Tash, you said you were being followed," Nick said.

"What?" Valarie said. Natasha felt everyone's eyes on her. She didn't want to be the bearer of bad news. To be the one to tell them that their worst enemy was alive and kicking. And after her. She swallowed loudly as her eyes scanned the room, taking in everyone's faces.

"I was hiding out with Malikai, and I went upstairs to check the water when I heard something going on back downstairs," Natasha recounted, she didn't want to say it. "I peeked over the railing and… Mama it was _him_! He took Malikai! I ran, it was all I could do!"

"Him…," Val said, trailing off. She seemed to stare into space for a moment, lost in her own thoughts.

"McCormick," Nikki said, stepping forward. Louis was behind her, holding their daughter. The last time Natasha had seen her she was barely a year old. Now she was about three. The child had no idea what she'd been born into.

Everyone stiffened noticeably. No one wanted that man to be alive. But deep inside, all of them knew that he had never really died from that fall. That the only real result of it was the loss of their friend and comrade, Zoey.

"We have to go!" Natasha urged. "We have to rescue Malikai!"

"Are you crazy?" Xeno interjected. "We're not walking right into his hands."

"He saved me!" Natasha fought. "I won't leave him behind. And what resources can McCormick really have? Please, this is important! If he had someone important to you, you'd go after him right?"

Nobody spoke.

"Right?" Natasha yelled. "Ellis!" The mechanic jumped at the sudden mention of his name. She jogged forward until she was right in front of him. "What if he had Zoey? You'd do anything to get her back, right?"

"Well, yeah," Ellis said, voice quiet. "But we all saw her fall. She's not comin' back"

"That's not the attitude I remember!" Natasha raged. "Stop feeling sorry and do something about! Nobody went back and looked for bodies. If McCormick is alive then there's an equal chance that she survived!"

"I'm sorry to say it kid, but I doubt he'd actually keep her alive all these years," Chuck said.

"Why are you all so determined to let her die?" Natasha was shocked. "I love Zoey. She fell off a cliff for you all and you won't even go look for her. Well, I for one am _not _putting the final nail in her coffin!"

"The kids right," Francis' gruff voice stated. Natasha looked at him, a grin spreading across her face. "And this Malikai kid helped keep her alive, we owe him enough to go look for him."

"Yeah, and who really feels safe knowing that jackass is still alive," Nick said. "I sure don't. Nikki, you don't want your kid growing up afraid that he'll come knocking."

"No," Nikki said, turning to her child. "I don't."

"I saw we meet him on our own terms!" Natasha declared.

"Alrigh'," Ellis said. "Let's do it. For Malikai. And for Zo'."

* * *

><p>Malikai screamed for what felt like the millionth time. His arm was bleeding, badly. A long deep incision had been made from the crease of his elbow down almost to the inside of his wrist. It stung badly and he couldn't even move it to ease the pain. He was handcuffed to a pipe in a dark dirty room. In front of him was the woman that had snared him earlier in an attempt to provoke Natasha into helping him. But that plan didn't work out and he was now paying for it.<p>

In front of him, another young man lay on his side. He had suffered a blow to the head in order to get here. The guy couldn't be any older then 17. The woman turned toward the older boy, black trench coat swirling around her legs, dusting the ground. She reached into her pocket, producing a sterilized needle.

"Where is she?" the woman asked, voice obscured by her mask.

"I don't know!" Malikai said, voice pained from his bruised ribcage.

The woman huffed before uncapping the syringe and sticking it brutally into the other boys arm, pushing down on the plunger none too gently. She stepped back, as if expecting something. In a matter of seconds he understood what she had expected. The boy in front of him began to writhe, screaming in pain before producing a disgusting gurgling sound from the back of his throat. He twisted around onto his front, his back arching. Malikai watched in terror as his muscles stretched beneath the thing t-shirt and shorts he wore. Every vertebra in his spine seemed to be attempting to break through his shirt. His hands dug into the dirty floor, grasping at nothing. Then, it abruptly stopped. He flopped back onto the ground. After a couple seconds it became apparent. He was dead.

"I'll ask you again," the woman said "Where is she?"

"I told you I don't know!" Malikai yelled in desperation.

"Liar," she said. The last thing he saw was her foot swinging towards him, before it all went black. One word seemed to echo into his subconscious.

_Liar._


	3. Chapter 3

**These chapters look so much longer on my word processor *sigh*. Oh well. Working… working… working. And damn, I start school on the sixth so I don't know **_**how **_**updates will go to be honest. **

_Historical Archive: August 5th__ 1979 Ian McCormick marries Isla Strauss. Their daughter Mina is born the following year._

"Okay, I say to start, we go back to the building Malikai and I were squatting in and search the area for any sign of them," Natasha said. Everyone was sitting comfortably as possible, grouped around in the storage unit.

"So this is it?" Ronnie asked. "We're really doing this?"

"We have to," Natasha said. "To rescue Malikai."

"And I'm not letting that monster live any longer," Valarie stated, anger seeping in through every word.

"We're risking our lives here," Nikki said, uneasy. "Something could happen."

"I think we know that all too well that someone could lose their life trying to stop him," Nick said. Nobody was letting anyone forget it. Just exactly what was at stake here.

"We'll be careful," Rochelle said. "We'll know what we're up against. We'll have a plan."

"Which is?" Nikki asked.

"Salt and burn!" Xeno shouted, jumping up in excitement.

"We get him down, incapacitate him. And we roast him like a Thanksgiving turkey," Nick said, flicking open his cigarette lighter to emphasize his point.

"That's barbaric," Ronnie said.

"He doesn't deserve anything less than barbaric," Valarie said, grinding her teeth together. In her lap, her fists clenched. Noticing this, Nick reached over laying one of his hands on top of hers. Over the years he'd felt the need to get closer to her. Hell, he'd been married to her once! Part of him wanted to try again, but he feared the wrath he would receive if he brought it up again.

"I wanna go as soon as possible," Ellis said. "I want him dead."

"Then we go," Nick said, voice ringing with finality. "We find him and we end this. And we start tonight."

* * *

><p>A groan resonated from within the plain cotton sheets. Johann rolled over onto his back. Cool air wafted over his bare chest. He reached over onto the nightstand beside him, grabbing his glasses. As he lowered them onto his face the world came into focus. Turning his head, he focused on the redhead beside him. Her body was bare save for the sheet covering her, hiding the essentials from his view.<p>

He and Stefanie had been under the care of the government for the past year since they had run into the convoy. They were part of the search party looking for survivors. He did it to help others and to stay with Stef, and even though she stated she had the same virtuous reasons, he knew deep inside that she was hoping to find her friends and family again.

Carefully he reached over to brush some stray hairs from her face. Soon. He knew they would find the others soon.

* * *

><p>Natasha kicked at the dusty floor. Everyone was practically tearing the place apart looking for any sign of where Malikai went. Where McCormick and that woman had taken him.<p>

"So it was just McCormick that took him right?" Chuck said, lifting up one end of a couch. She had no idea why he was looking under there. It wasn't like Malikai was the remote, hiding between the cushions.

"There was someone else with him, a woman in black," Natasha said. "She had a mask, I couldn't see her face."

Everyone seemed to stop what they were doing.

"You didn't mention him having a partner," Nikki said.

"I was a little pre-occupied." Natasha threw back. She was frustrated. They had no leads and it angered her. She threw her hands in the air and turned around, ready to punch a wall in her anger. Her mood swings seemed to get worse these days. In her haste she bumped into a small desk. Natasha took a double take. This was the room they'd been squatting in. The television on the desk hadn't been there before. Further inspection revealed there was a brand new looking VHS tape sitting atop it, the television itself hooked up an independent power supply.

"Guys!" she yelled, drawing everyone into the room. She snatched up the tape, holding up for them to see as they all piled in. "I think he left us a clue."

Without a second thought she turned on the tv. It emitted a loud high pitched whine as the speakers accustomed themselves to being in use again. Natasha fumbled with the tape, making sure to insert the right side in first. Her stomach curled in on itself, threatening to make her sick with anticipation. She sat back, desperate for some sort of information on Malikais whereabouts.

The image that showed on the screen almost made her sick.

Malikai was handcuffed to a steam pipe[1]. Next to him was the woman that had restrained him earlier, in her hand what appeared to be a scalpel caught the light, causing it to gleam in a menacing manner. McCormick moved himself into view, an almost apologetic look on his face. Just five minutes with him and anyone could tell he was anything but.

"So sorry to spring this on you," he said, his voice sending chills throughout the room. "but you have something I want, and I appear to have something you want."

He paused for a second, letting his words sink in. Just what he was about to offer.

"So, either you come and we have a little _chat_," he continued. "Or…"

He then waved his hand a little, as if to cue something. Without hesitation, the woman took the scalpel and dug it straight into Malikais arm. He yelled outright until he yells turned to desperate screams as the scalpel was pulled down, tearing his arm open.

"You make yourself open to negotiation or the boy dies," He said sternly. Then out of nowhere, his expression softened. "Oh and uh Ellis. I left you a little present, I hope there are no _hard feelings _between us all right? I'd like us to be _…friends. _Just check the desk drawer."

The television set resembled a polar bear in a snowstorm as the tape cut off, leaving them with nothing but that fuzzy noise to listen to. None of them seemed to want to move.

"Well… well. Will _someone _open that desk drawer?" Nikki said, sounding a little annoyed.

Ellis hesitated slightly before stepping forward and yanking open. His back stiffened, a sharp intake of breath was heard. Everyone watched from behind him as he shakily reached in for whatever it was. He pulled it out and turned slightly, holding out whatever it was. He looked at everyone, eyes watery, holding out what was unmistakably Zoeys jacket. The fabric was dirty and looked like it been through some rough treatment, obviously not faring well from the fall.

"He's taunting us," Valarie said.

"More like openin' old wounds," Ellis said, a lump forming in his throat. "How is any of this supposed to help?"

"Check the pockets," Nick said bluntly.

"What?" Ellis said. "I'm not gonna go through the-"

Annoyed Nick stood up and went forward, reaching into to each small jacket pocket. In one hand he produced a scrap of paper, folded in half. Without a second thought he unfolded it, reading out loud what it said.

"It begins at Millhaven," Nick read out loud, voice laced with confusion. "The fuck is Millhaven?"

"I know what that is!" Louis said, jumping up out of his seat. "That's where the military took us instead of the Echo Safezone."

"Looks like we're goin back," Francis said.

It looked like all kinds of old memories were being brought back up tonight.

**My brain…. It's dead. I'm trying, but oh god I don't want to rush myself like I always seem to do. Ideas are much appreciated. Like…. Really appreciated.**

[1] Man I _love _steam_. _


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, I am going to make a most likely failed attempt at being deep here. I am going to try and thicken the plot a little and highlight a couple characters, instead of having them all run around as a unit. It gets really tiring, and I want it to be more 3 dimensional.**

**Note from Bae. **

**People. I need to get some things shorted out here...THIS is the REAL sequel to Secrets of Sanctuary. The story by DeadAliveManiac is NOT. I just allowed him to use the Halifes in his story because he asked nicely and his story needed a boost, shall we say. **

**And Zoey is more than my beta right now. She is my Co-Author now because she was determined to help me see SoS through when I wanted to give in. So i respect her and you should do the same. Okay? **

**Thanks. **

**~Bae.**

"_No compassion nothing matters, my resistance is fleeting, like a flower in the basement, waiting for a lonely death"_

_- Your Rain, Silent Hill 4_

A young private kicked his feet up on the dashboard of his surveillance system, conveniently rigged in the back of a truck. They had stopped the convoy for the night, and he was supposed to be watching the television screens. Currently he was caught up in a good smoke and a nude magazine. He knew that if he got caught he would be in a world of hurt, but honestly he needed a little downtime. The convoy had been traveling for months since it had been established. It was meant to pick up survivors and take down the virus. Every patrol of his had been uneventful. So why would tonight be any different?

If he had been paying attention to his monitors in time, he might have seen it coming. But the last thing he heard was the click of a gun before his brains were spattered across the screen.

* * *

><p>Ellis sighed. Looking at the convoy in front of them.<p>

"We're askin' the military for help?" he asked.

"Is what we need to do," Val said, lowering the binoculars in her hands.

"How do we know they'll even agree?" Nikki asked, stubborn as always. She was here, but Francis and Louis had stayed behind to watch her daughter. She had talked him into staying, she secretly hoped she would find Stef in all this.

"We ask nicely," Val said, heading out no questions asked.

As they began to walk forward, everyone else walked on ahead while Nikki shot her arm out. She had caught Ellis, she intended to have a word with him.

"There's something we need to get straight here," Nikki said.

"And what would that be," Ellis asked. He was suspicious to be honest. Nikki never just stopped him for a nice chat to ask how he was.

"We're looking for Stef as well as getting help," she said. "And there's something I want from you."

"I don't guarantee it's something I can give," he replied, not meeting her eyes.

"If we find her," Nikki said. "I want you to talk to her. Reconcile. I don't care, just talk to her about getting back together!"

"I can't do that!" he said, anger rising.

"Why not?" Nikki spat back.

"I'm not giving up on her," he said. The way he said _her. _God the way he said it, Nikki knew exactly who he was talking about.

"What do you thinks gonna happen? That we're gonna bust in somewhere and Zoeys gonna be there and you can bring her back to play happy family?" She shot back. "News flash, that isn't happening!"

"She can't be dead," Ellis said.

"She fell off a cliff!" Nikki shouted. They had to be drawing attention by now.

"And so did McCormick and he's walking around just fine!" Ellis yelled.

Nikki stopped. Her eyes widened, then narrowed into slits.

"Just see, the next time some pretty lady comes along," Nikki said, taunting. "You'll be all over her. You can't hold onto your women boy!" Without another word, she ran off to join the others, leaving the now older man by himself. Left to continue after her, like a dejected puppy dog.

* * *

><p>Stef woke up. She felt like something wasn't right. Not just that, but horribly wrong. Sitting up quietly she tiptoed across the floor to the door in her stocking feet. The air was still, but in a way that caused her stomach to sink. She listened carefully to the sound of quiet footsteps going past her door. As the footsteps faded away she slipped out the door, sticking to the walls so as to follow them.<p>

They seemed to have gone into the room they were keeping the convoys record system. Each place they went they would squat in a building, and use it as a base. Stef crept up close to the doorjamb, peeking her head around the corner. Closest to her was a woman, from the back she could see the woman was dressed in a trench coat the rest of the ensemble obscured by the garment. Straps seemingly belonging to a gas mask of sorts crossed over the back of her head, going underneath a high ponytail of blonde hair. Stef turned her attention beyond the short woman closer to her, to focus on the man rummaging through files. She took note of the white pants and black suit jacket. She wished she could see his face but that would require him turning around. Quietly as possible she slipped back around the corner.

"Where do you think you're going?"

She knew that voice. She _knew_ who's voice that was. Trouble was, he was supposed to be dead.

She turned around to see standing only feet from her, Ian McCormick. Albeit he was much scruffier than she remembered. He seemed to have taken up smoking. In the back of her mind she wondered where he even _found _cigarettes. She knew what she had to do.

She ran.

As she sprinted down the hallway she head him give the order for her to be followed. Promptly the sound of another pair of footsteps pounded down after her. Stefanie didn't dare look back. It would slow her down and she needed all the distance she could get. The sound of voices outside drew her attention. She took an immediate right turn, throwing her weight into the glass front doors of the motel. Another familiar sight greeted her.

Her friends.

And Nikki.

A symphony of shouts greeted her. All of them of her name in various level of excitement. She had no time to be excited.

"I'm being followed!" she shouted. "McCormick is in there- I-" She was so out of breath. She scuttled forward to join the group. Turning around, she watched the woman that had followed her exit the door, her coat swirling around her legs. She watched those around her stiffen, as if they recognized her. They all readied themselves as she reached for the gun at her side. Before she could pull it from the holster she hesitated, as if something had struck her. She started to fall over, only to be caught by Johann. A hypodermic needle fell from his hand.

"A sedative." he said. "Thought I'd help a little."

* * *

><p>The room was crowded. Everyone seemed to want a good look. The small woman was sat in a chair, slumped forward but held up by her arms bound behind her back. Stef jumped a little as a muffled groan resonated from behind the mask. The woman raised her head, trying to shake off the sedative. It should have lasted longer, but who knows what kind of <em>enhancements <em>McCormick had tried on her. As the woman tried to stave off the inevitable disorientation, Stefanie took advantage of the situation. Carefully she gripped the mask, slipping it from it's place until it was loose enough to pull in one quick jerk.

She dropped the mask as she looked at the face framed in now longer odd layers of hair. Blonde hair yes. But the face.

The face had a frightening familiarity. One she couldn't deny. One no one else in the room could deny. So it came as a surprise to no one when a soft whisper escaped her lips.

"_Zoey?"_


	5. Chapter 5

**Shits gonna get real guys. **

_Historical Archive: The Winter of 2003, McCormick has a back-up facility built._

Natasha stared, zeroing in on the woman before her. For the teenage girl she had known really did grow up. Not in height or anything but she looked older, aged. It may have only been four years but stress sure had taken it's toll on her. And staring at her face, that familiar face of a person she loved, stirred something inside her.

She was angry.

And in this fit of anger, that soon turned into blind rage, she lunged forward her hands poised to claw this womans eyes out. All notion that this was the person she cared about was gone. This couldn't be that same girl. _This couldn't be Zoey. _

Strong hands latched onto her, halting her charge forward. She flailed attempting to get out their grasp.

"Let me _go!" _she yelled. "You traitor! WE TRUSTED YOU! _I _TRUSTED YOU! WHY? Why, why, why, why, _why?_ Why did you do it?" Her face twisted into a grimace as her flailed calmed, the hands of her father and Johann the only things supporting her body. Her eyes watered as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She didn't know what she expected in answer. But it wasn't the spread of an almost cocky grin on the face of this woman she had trusted, as she actually spoke. Her response was not but also at the same time _exactly _what she expected.

"Because he told me to," Zoey said, that smug grin set gently on her face. It was an almost hollow response, a hollow expression. Something here just wasn't right.

Stef noticed it too. She was a little off to the side but could still see everything that transpired. She took a quick glance around the room to see that Ellis wasn't there. Confused, she walked around the chair, trying not to meet the eyes of the younger woman in it. She poked her head out the door to see Ellis, sitting down against the wall, his head in his hands.

"Ellis," she said. His head shot up at her voice.

"Stef." he said, his voice cracking. "It's really you?"

"Yeah," she said. "I'm alive."

"Nikki gave me hell for you leaving," he said.

"Sounds like Nikki," she said, laughing lightly. The laugh faded out, the small smile on his face going with it. The situation they were in, it wasn't good. And now they had this to figure out.

"You look good," Ellis said, looking at her. He too had aged, but he was still as handsome as she remembered. To Ellis, she had just become more of a woman.

"The military," she said. "And Johann. And a run-in we had with McCormick early on."

"What?" he said, incredulous.

"Yeah, we ran into him a couple of months after I ran off and met up with Johann," she said. "It was so weird, he didn't try to keep me. I was sure that was why he found me. But he gave me an offer, saying that there a steep price for it but I didn't need to worry about payment. That he would make me better."

"He… made ya better?" Ellis asked, skeptical.

"For three and a half years I've never felt a witch mood come on. I've been genuinely happy, Ellis. Me, _happy. _Can you believe it?" she said, an excited smile spreading across her face. "I don't have to worry about going full witch if I die or anything. I can be normal. With Johann."

"You love him?" he asked. To this she nodded. "Well, I'm happy for ya, I really am." He pulled in a deep shuddering breath.

"Are you gonna be okay?" she asked him.

"Only if she is," he replied, not meeting his eyes.

"Finding her… that's what you kept you going isn't it?" she asked, her voice quiet. With a small smile she kept going. "You never gave up. Even when everyone else did, after all these years. You never gave up on her."

"You sound so happy 'bout it," he said, voice miserable.

"You love her, like genuinely love her," she said. "Not the puppy love you two started out with, but real love."

It was funny to think about, really. Yeah he loved her, and he was pretty sure she loved him. But the question still reigned. Would she be okay? Ellis just guessed they would have to trust Johann to figure that part out. And to try to talk to Zoey, to find out what was wrong.

A scream broke through their quiet bubble they had formed. There was no mistaking it, that was Zoey. They ran back in the room to see Nikki being held from behind by Chuck, her arms up in the air.

"Don't you ever touch me!" Zoeys voice grated out, pure rage dripping from her words. Her eyes held a wild quality as she glared at Nikki, leaning forward straining the ropes that bound her.

"What? I was only trying to see if it was true that you can pull up a human heart from the throat," Nikki spat.

"I will kill you," Zoey said in a chilling tone. Closer inspection revealed reddening scratch marks across the only flesh that was visible on the young woman's body, her neck of course.

"Not if I kill you first...You ruined everything!" Nikki yelled.

"Nikki. Let it go!" he said, fighting to keep his hold on her.

"I doubt you can kill me," Zoey replied, smiling. "I'm a goddamn force of nature."

"That's not you talking," Valarie cut in. The younger woman turned her attention to the older.

"It's not?" Zoey said, a mock look of shock on her face.

"No."

"Well, enlighten me," she said, leaning back in the chair.

"The Zoey I met wouldn't be acting like this, she was strong," Valarie spat "You, you are weak. And you're scared, I can see it in your eyes."

"I'm not-"

"What happened?" Val said, impassioned. "What did he do to you?"

"What did he do?" the younger woman asked, scoffing. "He tore me apart."

"And that's not vague," Nikki muttered.

"I'm serious," Zoey said. "Wanna see my scars? Look anywhere. He tore me apart… from the inside out." She seemed to zone out, voice fading.

"_Get up." _

"_I said, GET UP!"_

_The tile was cold against cheek. Her palms flat against the floor she attempted to push herself off the ground. She tried not to look at the amount of blood on the floor. Her blood. Her blood coming from the many lacerations on her arms. She repressed the sob in her throat, not wanting to appear weak. But really how much weaker could she look, kneeling on the ground. Robbed of her dignity, a thin paper gown the only thing to protect her body._

_Then, without warning, his hand grabbed a fistful of her hair. He wrenched her up from the ground only to push her down onto a table. _

"_Told you I'd fuck with your skin," he said. "but really… I'm doing this out of love, I promise"_

_She winced at the feel of a hypodermic needle sliding it's way into her abused flesh, the rush of foreign chemicals leeching into her veins._

_But, this wasn't like every other weirdo drug he'd given her. She would learn the hard way how badly her body would crave it and how it would control her. And in every way possible she'd lose control of her life and herself to it._


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter ate my brain for a while. Or maybe it was the hairspray that ate my brain. Anyway, enjoy this. Bae and I collaborated on it, which I enjoy doing.**

_Historical Archive: __October 3rd 2003 Ellis sprains his wrist pulling Keith out of a trash heap._

"Alright, we're going to do this one more time. You'll me what you know or, we pull out the knives again."

A nice gob of spit landed smack below McCormicks eye.

"Go to hell asshole," Malikai ground out. Ians hands shook. The boy was being insufferable. And not to mention giving no information whatsoever. He was solid as a rock and nothing he did was cracking the kid. All the blood and tears he pulled from the young boys body had no affect on the tight lip he had over the information Ian just _knew _the kid had.

"Alright," McCormick said. "I'll just fine SOMETHING ELSE TO DO IN THE MEANTIME"

Malikai jumped, the man would randomly yell. And it scared him more than the things he did with knives. And damn it, he could do some scary shit with knives. But no matter what he did to him physically nothing scared him more than the prospect that this man was undoubtedly mentally unstable. Beyond any help.

And being at his mercy was terrifying. But he'd never reveal that.

* * *

><p>"He's unstable." Zoey said. "He's been doing horrible things, experiments, messing with DNA. Like he did to you." Her expressions were no longer of sick amusement. Everyone was a little more comfortable now that she didn't look so crazy. But Johann couldn't help but notice she was getting sluggish.<p>

"What do you mean? He didn't do anything to me," Natasha said, surprised.

"You honestly don't know what he did to you?" Zoey asked, exasperated.

"He didn't do anything. He never…" Natasha trailed off, not quite believing herself.

"He infected you. You've got Green Flu running through your system, it's not affecting you but it's there. Honey, you're gonna show symptoms sooner or later just like the others." Zoey said.

"How do you know all this?" Nick asked.

"He rambles, incessantly," she replied. "And he has plans."

Johann watched the conversation. Never keeping his eyes off the girl tied to the chair. A thin sheen of sweat was forming on all visible skin. Her breathe becoming shorter.

"Nothing happened!" Natasha burst, leaving the room in quick strides.

"I hope she will be okay," Val said. "It will only hurt more later if she does not try to accept it."

"You sound indifferent," Zoey said.

"I sound indifferent about my daughters condition? That what you are saying?" Val said, anger getting the better of her.

"Val. Calm down," Nick said, placing a hand on her arm.

"I'm not the one you should be angry with," Zoey said, shutting her eyes for a moment.

"Da...It's McCormicks fault...Not yours...But still...Why?" Val asked, sighing deeply.

"Why did you work for McCormick?" Stef asked, what could have driven her friend to do that. To betray everyone she cared about.

"Why not just escape like the rest of us?" Ronnie added.

"I had a broken leg. I couldn't walk. What makes you think I could run?" Zoey said. She coughed out a laugh through her exhaustion. "Anyway, where would I go? I can't be here."

"Why cant you be here?" Stef asked knitting her eyebrows together.

"It's kind of obvious," Zoey said, laughing. "I cause too many problems"

"Fucking right ya do!" Nikki threw in.

"Nikki! " Stef chided, before softening. "Why do you say that, Zoey?"

"Keep in mind, anything she says isn't really her," Johann said. "There's something going on here and I intend to figure out what it is."

"Oh. " Stef realized, noticing her slip up.

"Do you think real Zoey is in there?" Val wondered.

"_There's nothing left in here," _Zoey whispered.

"Can I beat her with this?" Xeno asked, holding a bible.

"She's just trying to scar you," Johann said, stepping forward and placing a gentle hand against Zoeys forehead. "She's burning up. Not to mention she's sweating like a dog."

"Can i spray her with this?" Xeno asked, pulling a spray bottle out of his backpack.

"I'd rather you didn't," Johann said. "It'll just aggravate her."

"Well, what is wrong with her?" Valarie asked.

"I think she's got some kind of drug dependency going on," Johann said ,pulling out a pocket flashlight. "It's probably something McCormick put her on against her will. Yeah, her eyes are bloodshot"

"So we have to lock her in the closet to wean her of her addiction! Just like my mommy did with my crack head brother!" Xeno piped in.

"No…" Johann said.

"Awwwww. You're such a buzzkill, Jo-Ann." Xeno whined.

"'Yo-Hann' Jo-Hann!" Johann said, annoyed.

"In writing, it looks like Jo-Ann." Xeno said.

"Will you just shut up, all of you," Zoey said, turning her tired eyes towards Johann. "You're making my head hurt."

* * *

><p>"What do you want with her?"<p>

"What do I want?" McCormick asked, amused. He turned around from his table lined with tools. Malikai couldn't make out the things in front of him from where he was. Tied to a chair, unable to move. "There are… many things I want. My question is what do _you _want?"

"What are you asking," Malikai asked, confused and trembling. The wound on his forehead wouldn't stop bleeding.

"You like her, Natasha," McCormick prodded.

"No-I,"

"No, I can see it… in your eyes," He continued. "You're adorable. You want to jump her little bones. That's cute."

"What about you?" Malikai yelled. "That bitch that's working for you! What do you want with her?"

* * *

><p>"Johann are you going to fix this or not?" Val asked, annoyed.<p>

"It looks like I don't have to…" he said. "She's detoxing."

"Is good thing?" Val asked, leaning forward.

"Yes and no," he said, putting a hand against Zoeys forehead. "She'll eventually, and hopefully, be back to herself. And that's just me guessing. I can't be sure, because I don't know what it is she's on. All we can do is wait."

"I still vote on bible and holy water abuse" Xeno said, continuing with his previous argument.

"Will you please stop talking?" Zoey asked, squeezing her eyes shut and opening them again. She breathed out a heavy sigh. "Earlier you asked me, why I'm working for him. The truth is… I'm not."

"What do you mean?" Stef asked.

"I didn't have any choice," she said. "I made a deal, I had no idea what I was getting into at the time. I thought I was smart, that I could find a way to.. To.."

Zoey leaned forward, retching. Johann jumped up, off to search for a bucket.

"You made the same mistake we did!" Ronnie exclaimed.

"What same mistake?" Zoey asked.

"Making a deal…" Chuck added.

"What deal did you make?" Zoey asked, skeptical while fighting her nausea.

"Everything he had to offer," Stef said. "Safety, security, freedom. He said he would protect us from everything going on, on the outside. Zombies."

"But then we discovered that they wont hurt us. " Dupree said.

"Not helping," Stef chided.

"So that's the deal you made…" Zoey said. "Mine was more for your benefit, Stef."

"My benefit?" Stef asked.

"You don't think McCormick was being nice when he made you all good as new did you?" Zoey asked, watched as Johann set the bucket at her feet. "Can you just untie me?"

"Like hell," Nikki scoffed.

"Nikki," Ronnie said.

"Knock it off," Xeno added.

Warily Johann pulled out a pocket knife, sawing at the rope binding the womans wrists together. Slowly she pulled her arms forward, rotating them in the socket. Reaching forward she began unzipping the boots on her feet.

"These things hurt… really bad," she said. "Heels are not good for combat."

"I know," Val said, lifting her own heeled foot up.

"How do you know?" Nick asked.

"McCormick make me fight in heels as well. he has foot fetish." Val replied.

"It's disgusting," the younger woman replied. Suddenly, she doubled over, unleashing a stream of vomit into the bucket in front of her.

"Jesus Christ, are you okay?" Xeno asked.

"Does it look like I'm okay," Zoey replied, breathing heavy. "I just need to lie down, somewhere comfortable and sleep."

"Well, we'll move you and have someone keep watch while you sleep," Johann said, nodding to Ellis who began to lift her up.

* * *

><p>"I haven't been in a bed this comfortable in <em>four <em>years," Zoey said, snuggling her face into the pillow.

"I'm glad you're comfortable," Ellis said, sitting down in a chair next to the bed.

"I'm so glad I'm here," she said.

"Why's that?" he asked.

"You're here," she said, closing her eyes.

"Oh," he said, a little flustered. "I'm glad you're here too." _So very glad. _Better than glad. He was on top of the world that she was here. He thought he might wake up, that this was another one of his dreams. Very vivid dreams where she was alive and everything was okay. Quietly he leaned forward, planting a kiss on her clammy forhead.


	7. Chapter 7

_Scratch._

_Scratch scratch._

_Scratch Scratch Scratch._

Her eyes shot open. Sitting up Zoey looked at her nails, the small flecks of skin and blood peeked out from underneath her fingertips. The stinging in her upper arm confirmed she'd been scratching at it. Wincing she looked at the angry red area and torn skin. What had she been scratching at? Carefully she poked at the area, trying not to whimper at the small shoots of pain. _Think Zoey, think. _

It clicked in her head as her fingers brushed against a small, hard object lodged beneath her skin. Her eyes widened.

She needed to get out of here.

* * *

><p>Her heels clicked against the hard cement. She didn't know where she was going and she didn't care. She just had to get away from there. Away from them. She really hoped they'd understand. That Ellis would understand she wasn't abandoning them. She just wanted them to be safe.<p>

"Where are you going?"

Zoey whipped around. Behind her was the very person she did not want following her.

"Natasha," Zoey urged. "You have to go back!"

"No," the young girl replied, stubborn as ever. "Not without you."

"You don't understand," Zoey said. This was not what she needed right now. She didn't know if she could protect Natasha, she was still so tired and unbalanced. Everything was swimming around in her head and things weren't completely making sense, but since she began to regain self control she knew a few things. And one of them was that McCormick could not find Natasha.

"What's there to understand?"

"Son of a bitch," she cursed under her breath.

There he was, just like she feared. The sight of him instilled fear deep within her, but along with it a fading feeling of obedience. Like a dog who's been away from his master. She hated it and she hated him. She knew there had to be others, those he'd coerced into working for him. Not forced into subservience like she was. She tried her best to flatten her expression, to fool him as he walked toward her. Ever so carefully she pulled out the blade she'd taken from the hotel kitchen, her only means of self defense. Wielding it like a cleaver, she swung wildly at him. She got one good slice in before he grabbed her weapon arm, twisting it painfully behind her back.

"Natasha run! Go!" She watched as the girl began to sprint in the opposite direction. Zoey was relieved momentarily, only to have it shattered as the young girl was intercepted by a man in black.

"No I think this will work out just nicely," She shivered as McCormick spoke directly into her ear, his hot breath tickling her neck. Zoey suppressed the urge to cry out in rage as Natasha was drug back, kicking and screaming. The masked man holding her presented the young woman to McCormick, much like a dog would bring back a downed duck on a hunting trip.

"Look at that," McCormick continued. "She's finally coming into her own. I wasn't sure if my earlier experiments had worked on her but I can see it now. It worked." Zoey wanted to puke at the faint laughter in his voice. His sick amusement was just that, sickening.

And she feared what exactly would happen now.

* * *

><p>Valarie woke up the next morning, her head resting on something soft. The smell of cigarettes and alcohol wafted across her face as she sat up. She'd fallen asleep on Nicks arm at some point, he was still dead asleep. But something didn't feel right.<p>

Natasha wasn't there.

Her bed was empty. A quick glance around the room confirmed that.

"Nicolas, wake up," Val said, shaking him. He groaned, unhappy with being woken from his sleep. After all, he didn't like waking up before noon. "Lazy good for nothing."

"What is it this time?" He asked, opening his eyes.

"Natasha's gone."

* * *

><p>"Zoey's gone too," Johann said, walking into the hotel lobby to join the others.<p>

"What do you all think happened?" Stef asked, afraid of the answer.

"Well, both Natasha and Zoey are gone," Valaire said quietly.

"Maybe they both ran away from all your bitching!" Nikki threw in.

"You don't think Zoey tricked us do you?" Johann asked, crossing his arms. "I dunno, just pretended to be on our side and then ran off with Natasha in the middle of the night."

"If she is under McCormick's control, perhaps," Valarie said.

"No I don't think she did," Nick said, looking at some papers in his hand.

"What makes you say that?" Rochelle asked. Nick held up the papers he'd been looking through.

"Well she left these here," Nick said. "They were pretty hastily written but she left a note that she had to leave and the location of McCormicks new lab."

"You're shitting me," Nikki said, laughing.

"Nope," Nick said.

"So what are we doing now?" Xeno asked. Everyone looked around each other. Everyone was thinking the same thing, but no one wanted to say it.

"We're going after him," Stefanie said. "We're gonna make him pay."

No one added to it. That was enough, the decision was made.

* * *

><p>"You can't keep doing this. You had to notice, the infected are so thinned out. The military is gaining control. Your hayday is over."<p>

Zoey flexed her muscle, unable to move. The cold metal table beneath her chilled her to the bone, even through the Kevlar suit he insisted on putting her in.

"Not unless I take control," he said, mulling through his various tools. She tried to see what he was doing but she was restrained fairly well.

"What makes you think you will?" she said, gritting her teeth. She hated being at his mercy again, especially after getting her brief taste of freedom. _And seeing Ellis._

"I've got everything I need right here. Remember all those bases we took down together." He sounded almost wistful, as if recalling a fond memory.

"You mean the bases you _made_ _me_ take down. All the people you made me _kill." _She was disgusted, thoroughly disgusted at everything he had made her do. All the lives that were ended by her hands. Albeit unwilling hands but she didn't have control then. Now she had the control to fight, but she had a feeling she wouldn't have it for much longer.

"Technicalities."

"You really have no remorse. For anything? Not a single thing?" She knew reasoning with him wouldn't work but damn it she had to try.

"Who needs remorse when I have everything I could ever want?" He had a scalpel in his hand now. And he was reaching for her zipper.

"I'm not her… you know that." She gulped back the lump in her throat. She felt the fear settling in her stomach.

"Of course I do… I've got something much, much better now. Things will go back to normal and you'll be killing for me again. I think we should start with those little friends of yours, shall we? Louis? Francis? Or maybe Ellis? That sounds about right, I'll have you kill him first."

She screamed at the first incision, bright red making it's first appearance on that table.

* * *

><p>"I think it's safe to say we should try to be as inconspicuous as possible"<p>

Val watched as everyone shifted nervously from one foot to the other. They all stood poised on the roof of the building, in the only blind spot the damn thing had. Zoey had been rushed but somehow thorough. She knew they'd be coming after him and had tried to give them as much of the upper hand as possible.

"Okay," Stef said, checking the safety on her shotgun.

"So don't run in screaming your heads off looking for him," Nick said, dumping his cigarette on the ground.

"Is that a witch crack?" Stef said, glaring at him.

"Not at all sweetheart," Nick said, wiggling his eyebrows. In return Stef unleashed a sickening rumble from deep within her chest.

"Don't growl at me, we're trying to be discreet," Nick rolled his eyes.

Val lifted the bulk head type door, enough to look through and check for guards. Not a single one was in sight, they were in luck. She carefully lowered herself in helping others make their way in as well. After careful deliberation they split into three respective groups, heading in different directions with the sole purpose of hunting down McCormick.

"Okay, Nicolas where on that map do you think Natasha is?" Val said, checking her pistol and securing it.

"Beats the ever living hell out of me," he said, poring over the large map in his hands.

"Well, narrow it down," Val urged. She really wanted to find Natasha.

"Val, I'm a high school drop out," Nick said. "What do you expect from me?"

"Ooh, it's our honeymoon tour all over again," she said, ruffling his hair to the best of her ability through all the grease.

"Well," he said "This situation might be a little more volatile- no wait, yeah it's the same."

Valarie laughed, nostalgia warming her heart. She was beginning to remember why exactly she fell in love with him. Not because they had a perfect romance and he swept her off her feet. To be honest, Nick was no romantic. He was better at fucking and leaving but for some reason he stayed with her. And if those feelings were coming back, she wondered if she'd be staying with him. Falling back in love with him. Oh how she loved to tease him now. How they stayed together through everything. How he cared about their daughter, treated her like she was his. Loving their daughter.

But how could they possibly be domestic now?


	8. Chapter 8

**This is way too short for my liking, but I feel like I've been neglecting this story for far too long. Personal issues kept me from being able to get any progress on the new chapter but I'm better now so hopefully this will get back into full swing and reach the end!**

The washed white walls seemed to mock him from his place on the floor. The padded wall seemed pristine, but closer inspection revealed the washed away blood-stains, not completely gone. Malikai groaned, losing his patience once more. He wanted to punch something but he would get no relief from that. The last time he tried throwing a fit he'd been sedated. He shook, eyes watering, as he curled himself into a tight ball. As if he had lost hope.

"Well, we can sit here crying or we can get the hell out of here!"

He opened his eyes to see an unknown man before him, standing triumphantly at the door. A much taller man along with a slight young woman stood behind him.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked, sitting up. He wasn't too keen on going with anyone he didn't know. Especially after all that had happened.

"I'm Xeno and the two behind me are Chuck and Ronnie and," the man now known to be Xeno spread his arms wide. "We are your rescue squad!"

"Why?"

"Why? Well, we're friends of Natashas mother," Xeno said. "Now let's go I haven't got all day!"

One thing Malikai understood right away was just how energetic this man was. Xeno seemed to have an endless supply of it. The man was more hyperactive than a five year old. He was easily reminded of the Jockeys he'd had to kill.

* * *

><p>"Which way are we going?" Ellis asked. "Is there a turn any time soon?"<p>

"Well I don't know, do you _see_ one anytime soon?" Nikki gestured out around them. The hallway didn't seem to end. They'd been walking for what felt like an hour, and it seemed they were getting more and more lost.

"I would be grateful for even a door…," Val said, stopping. Just as she had said it, there ahead of them was a door. "Speak of the devil."

"It can't hurt," Nick said walking toward it. Val came up behind him to grasp the handle. Luckily it was unlocked as she turned the handle, letting it swing open.

"Whoa…," Ellis said, looking in over their shoulders. The room was long and thin, the walls lined from top to bottom in shelves. Nick walked inside and upon closer inspection saw that the shelves were full of tapes all in alphabetical order. By name.

"They're tapes," Nick said. "They have names on them…"

"I think I know what these are," Stef said, finally catching up. She walked around Nick running her hand down the long rows of shelves until she reaches the tag marked "S". "Yep, here they are. These ones have my name."

Nikki stomped her way down to Stefanie to see for herself. She huffed, spinning around to walk back a few feet.

"Fuck," she said. "I found mine."

"I imagine you could find tapes of everyone," Valarie said.

"Chuck, Xeno, Ronnie… everyone," Nick said, not wanting to go farther than just inside the doorway. Ellis slipped in behind him, making his way down the rows until he reached the back of the room.

"Ellis?" Stef said. "What are you looking at?" He had his hand on one of the tapes in the back row.

"Zoey," he said, his throat tight.

The air was heavy. He almost didn't want to know what was in it. But part of him did. Carefully he reached forward pulling out the first tape. Without looking at the others he slipped it into the VCR on the table next to him. The small tv lit up blue before giving off light static. He took in a deep breath as the tape started to play.

* * *

><p>"Okay, Keith, if we're going to do this you need to be a little more quiet," Dupree said. The pair were crawling through the air vents. Dupree was marking their route as they tried to locate the bases control room.<p>

"It's a metal vent!" Keith raised his voice.

"Sssshhh," Dupree said. "Maybe if you weren't wearing steel toed work boots we'd have a little more stealth instead of all that crashing noise you're making."

"Fucking smoker," Keith cursed.

"Guys?" a voice from outside the vent called.

"Stop, stop," Dupree said.

"Ow, shit!" Keith called out, Duprees shoe hitting him in the face. Dupree looked out the vent grate and to his surprise there was Natasha.

"Tasha!" Dupree was excited to see her. Before he could say anything she was pulling the metal operating table up the vent.

"I'm coming up with you," she said.

"Okay, uh," Dupree pushed the grate open, cringing as it clattered to the floor. He crawled forward, allowing the young girl room to crawl in behind him. "You alright back there?"

"Yeah I'm fine, let's go!" she said excitedly.

Trying as hard as possible to be quiet, they continued their trek to the control room.

**If you want to, leave suggestions or requests in a review go ahead. I don't guarantee it'll happen but I want this to be interesting.**


	9. Chapter 9

"This will be quicker than you think, promise."

McCormicks hand ghosted across Zoeys hair, in a mockingly loving touch. She was stripped bare, down to nothing but a hospital gown. Her hands twitched, trying to pull free of her bindings. When she least expected it one of them slipped loose. She tried to conceal her excitement so as not to reveal what had happened, but the man was too wrapped up in his own inane ramblings to notice.

"Really, it's much better this way, sweetheart." he said.

She seethed at his use of petnames. His treatment of her. As if she were his lover. Disgusting. Throughout his ranting and raving he neglected to notice what he was doing. She smiled inwardly to herself as her fingers curled around the scalpel he set down. He then made the mistake of turning around, giving her a change to shake her wrist loose. Quickly she reached over, swiping through the plastic holding her other wrist, freeing it. She reached over, grabbing onto the surgical saw placed on the metal rolling table. The clatter drew his attention, but she had all the preparation she needed. Drawing back she jammed the saw into his neck, making a good inch or two in. He fell over blood spurting forward from around the blade. His throat gurgled as he hit the ground, but she paid no mind. She began to quickly saw through the binds on her ankles, falling over as she placed her feet on the cold ground. Her head began to swim as she walked forward towards the door. She ignored the grabs her made at her, clutching the scalpel in her hand for reassurance.

She needed to find Natasha.

* * *

><p>Ellis wanted to be sick, the screams ringing in his ears. He would never be able to get it out of his head the thins he saw. But he couldn't move to turn it off, as if it was some extremely realistic horror movie that he was watching through his hands. He wanted to scream at the things that man had done. But he could find no words. Not even to ask someone to shut it off for him. Stef had left the room, Nikki lingered at the door. She seemed to be debating and some part of Ellis wondered if she enjoyed seeing what he had done.<p>

"I've got to give him one thing," Nick said, reaching forward to shut it off. "He's creative with knives." Ellis would thank the man but he was still frozen. His face set in a mask.

"Ellis," Valarie said. "We need to go, it is off now." Her warm hand on his shoulder worked to melt the ice in his system, giving him strength to move. He stood up, wiping his hands across his face.

"Alright," he said. "Let's get out of here and find Natasha. Then hopefully kill that bastard and make sure he stays dead."

"Sounds like a good idea," Johann spoke up from the doorway. He moved out of the way as they all filed out into the hallway. They began to continue walking down the hallway they were in, this time making more progress as they passed glass windows revealing labs. They peered into each one looking for a sign of Natasha. Nick stopped at one, making note of the blood pooled on the floor, leading out the door. Whoever it was had made a point to clean up their footsteps so as not to be followed. Inside the room it looked like a typical lab. The surgical table, wash bins, tools. The one thing to stand out was the stasis chamber tucked into the back wall.

"What's that?" Nikki asked. Out of all the things McCormick had used when they were around, that wasn't one of them.

"Stasis Chamber," Johann said, squinting at it through the glass.

"What's it for?" Nikki asked. The thing looked like something from a Syfy original movie.

"Regeneration mostly," he said. "It puts the body in a state of limbo, a deep sleep. I'm guessing he's had people in them for his experiments."

"I saw one in those tapes," Ellis said. He couldn't get the image out of his head. Particularly the ones of McCormick constantly shoving Zoey into one. Sometimes she fought back, but most of the time she was too injured to even try. The things he did… he didn't want to ever think about again.

"Not to change the subject or anything, but which one of you has that walkie talkie?" Nikki asked. The military had supplied them with one end of a pair of Walkie Talkies to contact them. "I mean, when do we contact them? When McCormicks dead, or for backup?"

"I would say for back-up," Nick replied. "I'd rather not get killed like we almost were last time."

"I suggest we call soon then," Stef said, moving forward.

* * *

><p>Zoey crept along the hallway until she reached her destination, a non-descript door tucked neatly in the corner. She looked around quickly, making sure there was no one around as she opened the door and slipped inside. She flipped the light switch, illuminating the long, thin room lined with cupboards. Moving along the doors she located the one she needed. Inside were plain black shirts and jeans. It wasn't her old clothing but it was something at least, and not a cat suit, this she was happy about.<p>

As she changed, she tried to plan her next move.

* * *

><p>Val hung back, staring in the direction of the blood to where it trailed off. The others had moved on farther from her. They stopped at the sound of mechanics groaning to life. Val whipped around just to see a large shadow descending from the ceiling. What resembled a large garage door was being lowered at a moderate pace, already halfway down. She ran forward trying to see if she could squeeze herself through to the other side but to no avail. She was trapped.<p>

"Val!" she heard Nicks muffled voice on the other side. She threw her hands up in frustration at being isolated. There was no coincidence about this. This was McCormicks doing.

"I will try to find a way around!" she yelled, and before anyone could object she ran off in the direction of the blood.

She zig-zagged around corners, going in the only direction available until she reached the end of the corridor. There before her was the only unlocked doorway around. She reached forward gripping the handle and turning it. The room was pitch black apart from the light coming in through the doorway. She stepped inside with the intention of finding a light switch only to have the door slammed shut behind her as several pairs of hands gripped her tight to force her into what felt like a chair.

"Well it's nice to see you again," a familiar voice echoed in the darkness. The man before her was revealed as he switched the light on. Ian McCormick stood with his hands folded behind his back, a smug look on his face despite the noticeable amount of blood staining his lab coat.

"It looks as if you've had a bit of an accident," she said. He wiped his hand across part of the stain as if it were nothing, maybe even a badge of sorts.

"It's nothing I'll be dealing with right now," he said. Oddly his face seemed to almost look sad, in an instant. "What happened to you, Val? You've changed. You're weak." He seemed to switch almost immediately over to anger.

"I do not know what you are talking about," Val said, turning her head away.

"Oh come on Val," he said, putting his finger under her chin to turn her head back towards him. "Valarie." She still refused to look him in the eye. The anger bubbled underneath until it spilled forth in one angry shout, drawing her glaring eyes towards him. "VALARIE!"

"What!" she snapped. He was in no place to demand her attention in her eyes after what he had done. But then again she was in no position currently to deny him.

"You used to be…. So strong," he said, curling his fingers around her shoulder. "So ferocious. What changed?"

"Nothings changed," she said.

"That's a lie," his breath wafted across her face, hot with the smell of nicotine. "You were strong with hatred. Hatred for Nicolas, the man who left you."

"Hatred does not make you strong," she said, voice shaking. "It makes you _weak._"

"Don't tell me you love him again?" he asked. She froze, refusing to answer his question. "You do? Oh! This is wonderful. I'm touched. Really I am. HA!"

He leaned back from her, no longer directly in her face. He couldn't help but laugh. She seethed with anger as her cheeks burned. Embarrassed. Yes, she was embarrassed. Exposed by her enemy. She truly did love Nicolas. But the thing was, she never stopped loving him. She always did, her hatred for him was fueled by her hatred of herself for still clinging to those feelings. A vicious cycle that kept her going through all the tasks McCormick set out for her to do. But now her hatred was solely for him, the man who had taken her daughter. Val shut her eyes in frustration before opening them moments later. The men were standing along the wall facing her, her arms handcuffed to the arms of the chair. She sighed until she noticed the figure in the doorway brandishing a surgical saw. Clad in a longsleeve black shirt and jeans Zoey crept up slowly behind McCormick somehow unnoticed. She braced herself swinging the saw forward aimed at Ians neck. Not surprisingly he caught the blade in his hand, drawing blood and almost cutting off his fingers. He pulled the blade forward, dragging her with it until it slipped out of her hands. He grabbed her roughly by the shoulders bringing her forward like a trophy.

"Awww look what we have here," he said. "That's the second time you attacked me with a saw. I didn't appreciate it the first time and I don't appreciate it the second time!" To emphasize his point his pushed her to the side, sending her to the floor. Without a second thought he reached into his pocket pulling out a small thin remote no bigger than a business card. He pushed one of the many small buttons on the tiny device triggering Zoey to gasp in shock. She twisted onto her back, obviously in pain. Val stared open mouthed as the young woman writhed in pain.

"Stop," she said.

"Stop?" he asked. He pressed another button but the girl only continued to curl and uncurl on herself as she clutched at her chest. The only difference was she began to open her mouth like a gaping fish occasionally spouting pained noises and gasps.

"Stop it now!" Val yelled.

"Oh, but I'm having fun." he said.

"You are sick, sick bastard! Damn you to hell!" Val yelled even louder.

"And you're just now figuring this out?"

**And that's where I'm leaving you. Mwahahahaha. Writing this has gotten harder and harder but I'm determined to finish it. For those of you that still read it and find it interesting, I want you to finish it. So I'm keeping on for you guys even though my love for Left 4 Dead has been quashed by outside parties and I'm moving on to more mature topics.**


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